Vail Ski Resort Sets New Record in Its 43-Year History for Cumulative Year-to-Date Snowfall at Nearly 12 Feet of Snow to Date; Abundant Snowfall at All Five Ski Resorts

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    VAIL, Colo., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, Vail Mountain
 surpassed its all-time historical cumulative snowfall record with year-to-date
 snowfall of 141.25 inches, or nearly 12 feet of snow.  The prior record of
 140 inches was set during the 1985-1986 winter season.  In November alone,
 nearly 84 inches of snow fell on Vail Mountain, fully 26 inches above the ski
 resort's historic average of 58 inches for the month.
     (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051205/LAM085)
     With the recent round of storms that have pounded Colorado's Rocky
 Mountains, skiers and snowboarders at Vail have been enjoying more than nearly
 four feet of fresh powder in the past seven days.  Mountain operation crews
 have been working around the clock to expedite the opening of terrain and
 lifts.  In addition to the Back Bowls that are now open, resort officials will
 open Blue Sky Basin on Friday, Dec. 9, making it the second earliest most
 extensive opening of bowls in the resort's history.  More than 4,600 acres of
 the resort's terrain will be open on Friday.
     "It goes without saying how gratified we are to have such extraordinary
 snowfall and ski terrain conditions at this time of year across all five of
 our Colorado and Lake Tahoe ski resorts.  This should be exciting news for
 skiers and snowboarders, notably including that we have set all-time records
 for this time of year for cumulative snowfall at Vail and for open terrain at
 Keystone," said Adam Aron, chairman and chief executive officer of Vail
 Resorts.
     Vail Resorts' additional four Colorado and Lake Tahoe ski resorts --
 Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly -- also have benefited from
 this year's early season snowfall.
     Breckenridge Resort set a new record for snowfall totals during the month
 of November, with more than 68 inches or 40 percent more than its historic
 average.  Season-to-date snowfall at Breckenridge is about 80 percent more
 than the historic average.  Boasting a base depth of more than five feet of
 snow at the summit of Breckenridge Mountain, officials today opened North
 America's new highest chairlift, the Imperial Express SuperChair, a month
 earlier than originally scheduled.  The Imperial Express transports skiers and
 snowboarders up to 12,840 feet above sea level for access to 400 acres of
 expert skiing above treeline.
     More than 131 inches of snow has fallen on Beaver Creek Mountain so far
 this season and with nearly four feet of fresh snow over the past week, skiers
 and snowboarders today enjoyed one of the best openings of the resort's famed
 Grouse Mountain expert terrain.  Amidst snowstorms aplenty, Beaver Creek
 successfully held its Birds of Prey Men's World Cup ski races, with racers
 from 18 nations and three continents competing, receiving considerable
 international television and newspaper exposure as a result.
     Keystone Resort has tied its November record snowfall of 51 inches set in
 1983-1984.  Thanks to a cumulative season-to-date snowfall total of
 105 inches, resort officials have been able to open approximately 2,500 acres
 of ski terrain, more open terrain at this time of year than ever before in
 Keystone's 35-year history.
     Heavenly Mountain Resort has received four feet of snow in the past week,
 allowing the resort to open more than 60 percent of its terrain.  With a
 snowpack depth ranging from three to five feet, Heavenly is offering the most
 terrain of any ski resort in the Lake Tahoe area.
 
     About Vail Resorts
     Vail Resorts, Inc. is the leading mountain resort operator in the United
 States.  The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resorts of Vail,
 Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado, Heavenly in California
 and Nevada, and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo.  The
 Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages
 casually elegant properties across the United States.  Vail Resorts
 Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction
 subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc.  Vail Resorts is a publicly held company
 traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:   MTN).  The Vail Resorts company
 website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.
 
 

SOURCE  Vail Resorts